Photo by Toni Thomas
If you ask Katheryn Menaged, accessory designer and owner behind local women’s boutique Scarborough Fair, what inspired her love for millinery, her answer would be as simple as this: “I’m a product of old movies,” she says with a laugh.
Growing up, Menaged recalls being fascinated by the lavish hats and gloves adorned by her favorite actresses in pre-color films. “It always felt like they were creating an alternate universe,” she says.
Taking a walk through Menaged’s enchanting Falcon Heights boutique feels a bit like this as well. A one-stop-shop for bold accessorizing, Scarborough Fair is a reflection of Menaged’s “elegant, whimsical” style, bursting with artful jewelry, non-traditional bridal couture, and eccentric hats and headpieces. And with names like Brooklyn-based Cha Cha’s House of Ill Repute and locally beloved milliner Karen Morris, the millinery haven has quickly become a top derby shopping destination of the Twin Cities.
“There is a contingent of women in the Twin Cities who go to the Kentucky Derby every year, and it requires them to find three outfits with coordinating hats,” says Menaged. “The question is always, ‘Do I get a hat first, or do I find a dress and get a coordinating hat made?’”
Provided by Scarborough Fair
Menaged set out to answer questions like these by launching Scarborough Fair’s annual Hats, Horses & High Tea event, a spring shopping kickoff that will return to the shop March 29. Allowing customers to get a head start on the derby season rush, the event assembles dozens of one-of-a-kind hats and headpieces, this year featuring derby-inspired designs by Karen Morris Millinery and Cha Cha’s House.
“Hats are very much about confidence and showing your personality, especially at derby, where everyone is wearing a hat,” says milliner Dina Pisani, owner of Cha Cha’s House, which will be selling designs at the event for the first year. “From me, you’ll see a lot of fascinators and sculptural pieces with a ton of handwork, painting, feather work, and avant-garde materials.”
An early taste of spring, the afternoon will evoke the elegance of derby season with high tea-style refreshments and bites, including hot tea, scones, and English tea sandwiches. As guests sip their tea, they will also enjoy a performance by three young dancers adorned in custom fascinators—an embodiment of the event’s support of the Northrop Centennial Commissions program, which aims to amplify new dance works and artists across the country in preparation for Northrop’s 100th anniversary in 2029.
“I’m on the board at Northrop, and I just love dance,” shares Menaged. “The last third of my life is really about how to feed my soul and give back to organizations like these.”
A portion of the event’s proceeds will directly benefit Northrop Centennial Commissions and its mission to continue exposing young people to the creative arts—an initiative that directly aligns with Menaged’s support of talented designers and milliners across the country.
Photo by Toni Thomas
Even if there are no derby plans on your spring calendar, Menaged advises that a hat will still come in handy. From Mother’s Day to Easter to wedding season, Hats, Horses & High Tea will have a range of headwear fit for spring’s many lavish and formal occasions. More than an eclectic spring shopping opportunity, Menaged and her designers hope the gathering will inspire a community-wide appreciation for the art of millinery, and its captivating history of charm, sophistication, and self-expression.
“Wearing a hat for me is about having conversations with random people. There’s a certain community it builds,” says Pisani. “The person you’re going to want to talk to at an event is the one who notices your hat—all of a sudden, you’ve made a friend because you were wearing this work of art on your head.”
Scarborough Fair’s sixth annual Hats, Horses & High Tea event will take place Saturday, March 29, at 1583 Hamline Ave. N., Falcon Heights.
